Railway track gauge and alignment detector



y 9, 1939- G. R. PFLASTERER 2,158,013

RAILWAY TRACK GAUGE AND ALIGNMENT DETECTOR Filed July 24, 1937 vwv Fig.5.

I :E'ZTR INVENTOR GeorgeZZP HlS ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE RAILWAY TRACK GAUGE AND ALIGNMENT DETECTOR Application July 24,

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a railway track gauge and alignment detector, that is, to a device located at a particular point in a stretch of railway track for detecting, at that point, whenever the spread between the rails exceeds the maximum allowable spacing or whenever the alignment of the track shifts in excess of the permissible limits.

I shall describe one form of detector embodying my invention and one form of signal control circuits to illustrate how my detector may be used to protect trafiic against dangerous track conditions, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompaying drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of gauge and alignment detector embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the detector shown in Fig. 1. Fig, 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of signal control circuits utilizing the detector shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference characters 3 and 4 designate the rails of a stretch of railway track which rails may be secured in the customary manner to ties 5 and 6. Located at the approximate center of alignment of the track, and securely anchored in the ballast so as to be independent of ordinary shifts in track alignment, is a member 1 which is hereinafter at times referred to as an anchor post and which may be made of any suitable material such, for example, as concrete. As here shown, my detector comprises contact X located between rail 3 and anchor post 7 and contact Y located between rail 4 and anchor post I. Since both contacts are similar in construction, and operation, I shall describe only one contact. As here shown, contact X comprises a fixed member 8 in engagement with a movable member 9, to which members electrical connections may be made by any convenient means not shown in the drawing. Member 8 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to rail 3 and preferably insulated therefrom, and movable member 9 is pivotally mounted at point Ill in an arm which is suitably secured in anchor post i and preferably insulated therefrom. Movable member 9 is biased to a downward position both by gravity and by a spring 12, but is maintained in its normal horizontal position by pin l3 extending through member 8. Members 8 and 9 of contact X are so arranged as to be in engagement with each other whenever the spacing between rail 3 and anchor post 1 is within the maxi- 1937, Serial No. 155,467

mum allowable limits. When, however, the spacing between rail 3 and anchor post 7 increases so that movable member 9 will clear pin l3, it is apparent that member 9 will fall to a downward position and will not again become engaged with member 8 unless reset manually, even though the spacing between rail 3 and anchor post I returns to the normal value, From the foregoing description, it follows that, if the spacing between either rail and anchor post 1 increases to an extent such as would be dangerous to traffic, the associated contact X or Y will become opened. It will also be apparent that, if the track structure as a whole shifts from the center of alignment so as to be unsafe, either contact X or contact Y will become opened depending upon the direction of such track movement.

It is understood, of course, that both contacts X and Y may be provided with a suitable covering or shield to protect the contacts from the weather, dust, etc. Furthermore, my device may be also utilized as a dragging equipment detector because either contact X or contact Y, or both, is certain to be damaged to such an extent as to become opened if struck, for example, by a dragging brake beam on a passing locomotive or car.

The members 8 each have secured thereto a suitable wire or connector, as shown in the drawing, so that the contacts X and Y may be connected in a control circuit such as that shown in Fig. 3. If desired the members 8 may be electrically insulated from the track rails to which they are secured in order that the current in the control circuit established by contacts X and Y will not interfere with the track circuit current flowing in the track rails.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the rails 3 and 4 are divided by insulated joints [4 into two track sections IT and 2T. Each track section is provided with a track circuit including a battery l5 connected across the rails at one end of the section and a track relay, designated by the reference character R. with a prefix the same as the reference character of the associated section, connected across the rails at the other end of the section. Each section is provided with a signal designated by a reference character which is the same as the prefix in the reference character of the associated track section, Each signal is provided with a signal control relay designated by the reference character H with a prefix the same as the refer ence character of the associated signal. The signals are controlled by the signal control relays H by easily traced circuits in such a manner that the signals indicate proceed or stop according as the associated control relay is energized or deenergized, respectively. My detector is located at point Z in section i'I' and its contacts X and Y are utilized to govern the signal control relays 1-1 and 2H. The circuit for signal ll-I may be traced from terminal B of a suitable source of energy through contact X, contact Y, front contact iii of track relay lTR, and relay 51-1 to terminal of the same source of energy The circuit for relay 2H may be traced from terminal B through contact X, contact Y, front contact H of relay 2TB, and relay 2H to terminal C. From the circuits just traced, it will be apparent that, if either contact X or contact Y becomes opened, both signal control relays 81-1 and 2H will become deenergized to cause their associated signals to display the stop indication. It follows, therefore, that a train approaching signal 5 will receive a stop indication if the track alignment or gauge at point Z is unsafe and that a train occupying section iT will receive a stop indication at signal 2 if, for example, the rails of section VI should spread under such train.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of detector and one form of signal control circuits each embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

i. In combination with a railway track, an anchor post located between the rails of said track, a fixed member secured to one rail of said track, a movable member secured to said post, said two members normally being in engagement with each other and said movable member being biased to become disengaged from said fixed member if the spacing between said post and said rail exceeds a predetermined value, said movable member after disengagement from said fixed member being incapable of self-restoration into engagement with said fixed member, and means controlled by said movable member and operable to give a warning indication when said movable member becomes disengaged from said fixed member,

2. In combination with a railway track, a post anchored in the ballast between the rails of said track, two movable members one of each secured to opposite sides of said post, a fixed member secured to one rail and normally in engagement with one of said movable members, another fixed member secured to the other rail and normally in engagement with the other of said movable members, said two movable members being biased to move out of engagement with the corresponding fixed member if the spacing between the associated rail and the post exceeds a predetermined value, and means controlled by said movable members and operable to give a warning indication when either movable member becomes disengaged from the associated fixed member.

3. In combination with the rails of a railway track, means for detecting changes in the alignment of said track, said means comprising an anchor member located at the approximate center of alignment of said track, a first normally closed contact arranged to become opened if the spacing between one rail and said anchor member exceeds a predetermined value, a second normally closed contact arranged to become opened if the spacing between the other rail and said anchor member exceeds a predetermined value, means associated with each contact for preventing the self-closing of the corresponding contact, and means controlled by said contacts and operable to give a warning indication if either contact becomes opened.

il In combination, a railway track having a pair of track rail members, an anchor member located between said track rail members, each track rail having associated therewith means for determining if the spacing between said track rail member and the anchor member exceeds a predetermined value, said means comprising a rigid element secured to one of said members, a movable element secured to the other of said members, said movable and rigid elements being in engagement with each other when the spacing between the rail member and the anchor member is less than said predetermined value, and biasing means for causing said movable element to move out of engagement with said rigid element if the spacing between said rail member and said anchor member exceeds said predetermined value, and means controlled by said movable elements and operable to give a warning indication if either movable element becomes disengaged from the associated rigid element.

5. In combination with the rails of a railway track, means for detecting the relative spread between the rails of said track, said means comprising a contact having a normal position and capable of assuming a different position but being incapable of self-restoration to said normal position, biasing means for causing said contact to assume said different position if the spread between said rails exceeds a predetermined value, and means controlled by said contact and operable when said contact is in said different position to give a warning indication.

GEORGE R. PFLASTERER. 

